Answered by: Alimah Safiyya-Maryam Ahmed
Question
Is there anything related to that method slightly in the discussion of raising the finger in tashahhud? Eg the fingers are in a certain position like the number such and such Which may show this system was used in the past?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
It has been reported in Sahih Muslim by Abdullah Ibn Umar [r] that the Messenger of Allah [s] when He used to sit for Tashahhud would place His left hand on His left knee, and place His right hand on His right knee and would form a ring [like the number] 53 and would point with the index finger. [1]
Allamah Ibn Abideen [r] states in Radd Al-Muhtaar that the manner of raising the fingers in Tashahhud can be done in two ways: a) by making a ring with the thumb and middle finger, closing the ring finger and little finger, and indicating with the index finger, or b) forming a ring-like the number 53 which gets its name from the counting system with the fingers which was well-known at the time. This is done by closing the middle, ring and little finger, placing the head of the thumb on the joint of the middle finger, and lifting the index finger upon the negation لا اله and dropping it upon the affirmation الّا الله.[2]
Only Allah knows best
Written by Alimah Safiyya-Maryam Ahmed
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
وَحَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُبْنُحُمَيْدٍ ،حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُبْنُمُحَمَّدٍ ،حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُبْنُسَلَمَةَ ،عَنْ أَيُّوبَ ،عَنْ نَافِعٍ ،عَنِ ابْنِعُمَرَ : أَنَّرَسُولَاللَّهِصَلَّىاللَّهُعَلَيْهِوَسَلَّمَكَانَإِذَاقَعَدَفِيالتَّشَهُّدِوَضَعَيَدَهُالْيُسْرَىعَلَىرُكْبَتِهِالْيُسْرَى،وَوَضَعَيَدَهُالْيُمْنَىعَلَىرُكْبَتِهِالْيُمْنَى،وَعَقَدَثَلَاثَةًوَخَمْسِينَ،وَأَشَارَبِالسَّبَّابَةِ (صحيح مسلم, كتاب المساجد و مواضع الصلاة, باب صِفَةِ الْجُلُوسِ فِي الصَّلاَةِ وَكَيْفِيَّةِ وَضْعِ الْيَدَيْنِ عَلَى الْفَخِذَيْنِ , ٥/١٤٨)
وصفتها: أن يحلق من يده اليمنى عند الشهادة الابهام والوسطى، ويقبض البنصر والخنصر، ويشير بالمسبحة، أو يعقد ثلاثة وخمسين بأن يقبض الوسطى والبنصر والخنصر. ويضع رأس إبهامه على حرف مفصل الوسطى الأوسط، ويرفع الإصبع عند النفي ويضعها عند الاثبات (رد المحتار. كتاب الصلاة, باب صفة الصلاة, صفحة ٢١٧, دار عالم الكتب)